Transfer point structure for knitting machines



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Nov. 3, 1959 R. P. LOEPER E TRANSFER POINT STRUCTURE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 29, 1957 INVENTORS.

Robert 1. [at Oar BY Henr E. Zond/o 6/1/04 A TTORWEY l 7 2 D u 3 TX 5 Z w l 2 N 3 T N% 0% 7 w w E 2 2 finflw .wnw F I7 0 0 u ulfluw ill'v3 5 H A m 7 30 r v V I I 7 5 2 3 H T l-PIIIW.

United States Patent O TRANSFER POINT STRUCTURE FOR KNITTIN G MACHINES Robert P. Loeper, West Reading, and Henry E. Zondlo, West Lawn, Pa., assignors to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 29, 1957, Serial No. 699,626

' 2 Claims. (CI. 66-96) This invention relates to improvements in full-fashioned knitting machines and more particularly to means for controlling the formation of selvedge loops of fashioned fabrics knitted on such machines.

In straight bar knitting machines of the type for forming fashioned fabric blanks, yarn is fed to a row of needles by a carrier which is reciprocated back and forth across the row of needles and the yarn is indented between the needles by alternate sinkers and dividers which are advanced between the needles. Following the indenting of the yarn, the needles are lowered to catch the yarn beneath the beards thereof and to pull it off the noses or ends of the sinkers and dividers. As the needles again rise to receive yarn for the next course of loops, the sinkers and dividers are advanced above the new loops to strip them down the shanks of the needles. At the end of each reciprocation the carrier is stopped above the next divider outwardly of the end needle forming the end selvedge loop and the length of yarn extending between the end loop and the carrier normally lies above the nose of the sinker immediately outwardly of the end needle. As the direction of the carrier is reversed to lay yarn for the next course of loops the yarn is carried directly around the end needle and into the throats of the sinkers and dividers. During formation of successive courses of loops the fabric is withdrawn from the needles under tension by take-up means.

In order to fashion the selvedges of the fabric, following formation of certain of the courses, loops at both selvedges are lifted from the needles by points which are then shifted inwardly or outwardly to align them with adjacent needles. After reengaging the points and needles the loops on the points are returned to the needles by advancing the sinkers and dividers above the loops to hold them down as the points and needles rise to strip the loops from the points back onto the needles. During the fashioning operations the take-up tension on the fabric must be relaxed and the selvedges of the fabric, which normally have a tendency to curl upwardly and inwardly toward each other, cause the loops on the end points to slide upwardly along these points above their normal positions. Consequently, when the points and needles are reengaged to return the transferred loops to the needles, it frequently occurs that one or more of the end loops are insuch position on the points that the sinkers and dividers pass beneath these loops and they are not returned to the needles. During the next yarn feeding movement, the end loops not replaced on the needles are dropped thereby causing a run to form along the selvedge of the fabric.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide means for overcoming the above mentioned and other difficulties occurring in the formation of fashioned fabric blanks on full-fashioned and like knitting machines.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means in a full-fashioned knitting machine for controlling the position of the yarn extending between the end loop and the yarn carrier during operations of the machine t fashion the selvedges of the fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a full fashioned knitting machine with a transfer point structure for fashioning the selvedges of a fabric formed on the machine, which transfer point structure includes means for controlling the position of the selvedge loops and the yarn extending between the end selvedge loop of the fabric and the yarn feeding means of the machine to insure that the selvedge loops are returned to the needles during fashioning operations of the machine.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the right end of a knitting section of a full-fashioned knitting machine diagrammatically illustrating the loop forming and yarn feeding elements of a full-fashioned knitting machine together with points according to the invention, the elements and points being shown in one cooperating position during a fashioning cycle;

Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale as seen from the right of Fig. 1, parts being broken away and others being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of loop forming and yarn feeding elements in one part of a knitting cycle of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a fashioning point structure according to the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view of the point structure as seen from the right of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 4, there is diagrammatically shown the right end portion of the loop forming means of a knitting section or head of a full-fashioned knitting machine including needles 10 which are mounted in a straight row in a bar (not shown), sinkers 11 and dividers 12, which are alternately carried in a sinker head 15 for movement in the spaces between the needles, and knockover bits 16. The needles 10, sinkers 11 and dividers 12, operate in a common manner to form a yarn 17 into courses of loops, the sinkers first being slurred forwardly to sink the yarn into the spaces between alternate pairs of needles and the dividers then being advanced to indent the yarn into the remaining spaces between the needles. The needles, sinkers and dividers are then given cooperating movements to form the new yarn into loops, the needles moving downwardly to draw the new loops over the noses of the sinkers and dividers and through the previously formed loops and then rising again to a high position (Fig. 4) to receive the yarn for the next course of loops of the fabric. As the needles rise to their high position, the sinkers and dividers are advanced above the fabric to hold the new loops and prevent their rising with the needles. As each course of loops of the fabric is formed it is drawn away from the needles 10 and tensioned by take-up means (not shown) in a conventional manner.

The yarn 17 is fed to the loop forming means by a carrier 20, which is one of a group of such carriers adapted for reciprocation in opposite directions along the row of needles 10 by means of friction boxes or the like (not shown) in a common manner. At the end of a yarn feeding movement, the carrier 20 is positioned above a divider Patented Nov. 3, a

indicated at 12a which is the next divider outwardly of a needle a on which the end loop of the right selvedge of the fabric is formed (Fig. 1), with a length of yarn indicated at 21 extending from the end loop to the carrier. As the needles rise following the formation of a course of loops, as above set forth, the sinkers and dividers are advanced above the fabric loops which prevents the loops from rising with the needles. At this time the length of yarn 21 lies above the nose of a sinker 11b next outwardly of the needle 10a so that as the movement of the carrier 20 is reversed to form the next course of loops, as shown in Fig. 4, the yarn passes directly around the needle 10a.

When the fabric is to be fashioned as by narrowing needles. Normally only the two points 22 in each comb 25 engaging the two end loops are provided with the stop members 26 which is sufiicient to control the horizontal position or level of the loops on the points. However, all of the points in the combs may be provided with stop members so that when fewer loops are engaged on the points than the total number of points in the combs the or widening following the formation of a course of loops, edge loops will always be maintained at the desired level the take-up tension is relaxed and certain of the selvedge on the points by the stop members. loops including the edge loop are engaged and removed It will be understood that the improvements specifically from the needles 10 by points 22, each of which has a shown and described by which the above described regroove 23. The points 22 are carried by a comb, a porsults are obtained, can be changed and modified in various tion of which is shown at 25 (Fig. 1). Following enways without departing from the invention disclosed and gagement of the loops on the points 22 the comb 25 is hereinafter claimed. moved, for example, inwardly toward the center of the We claim: fabric, which is the narrowing direction, to align the l. A transfer point for engaging and removing a loop loops on the points 22 with adjacent needles and at the formed on a needle of a'straight bar knitting machine and same time the carrier 20 is moved in the same direction 25 for transferring said engaged loop to a needle adjacent and to the same extent to maintain the relation between to the needle on which said engaged loop was formed, the carrier and end loop. The loops are then returned said transfer point having a groove in a portion of which or transferred to the needles by reengaging the needles said needles are adapted to engage, and means for holdlt] in the grooves of the points 22 with which the needles ing said loop at a predetermined position on said point are aligned and the sinkers 11 and dividers 12 are adduring said transfer of said loop to said adjacent needle, vanced above the loops to hold them as the needles rise said means comprising a member having a portion thereof and pass through the loops on the points. Due to the interfitting in said groove above the portion thereof enfact that the tension on the loops is relaxed during the i gaged by said needle and a portion of said member profashioning cycle and because of the inherent tendency of jecting from said point at the grooved side thereof. selvedges to curl upwardly one or more of the edge loops 2. In a straight knitting machine for knitting selvedged engaged on the points together with the length of yarn 2i. fabric, said machine having needles on which loops of tend to rise on the points so that at the time the sinkers aid fabric are formed, and points for engaging and reand dividers are advanced to cover the loops, these edge moving loops from said needles at a selvedge of said 19 y be Such Positions 011 the points that the fabric and for transferring said engaged loops to needles heses 0f the sinkers n dividers P beneath t 40 adjacent to the needles on which said engaged loops were Consequently these loops are not returned to the needles f ed, aid oints each having a groove in a portion of and are dropped thereby causing runs to form along the which said needles are adapted to engage and at least Selvedges of the fahfieone of said points'having a member interfitting in said In Order to insure the Temrh of all of the 100195 engaged groove above the portion thereof engaged by said needle y the Poihts 22 t0 the needles One Or more Of the and projecting outwardly from said point at the grooved end points are provided with stop members 26 which act side thereof to engage the loop on said point and hold it to l the end loops in Substantially horizontal g in predetermined position thereon during transfer of said ment with the loops engaged on the other points in the loop t an dj ent needle. comb 25 which is at a level below the bottom edges of the sinkers and dividers (Figs. 1 and 2). The stop members References Cited in the file of this P 26 are in the form of blocks a portion 27 of which ex- UNITED STATES PA S tends beyond front edges 30 of the walls forming the groove 23 of the point. A portion 31 of the stop mem- 2013883 Gasmch Sept 1935 b 2,054,686 Verbeek Sept. 15, 1936 er 26 is formed to lnterfit 1n the groove 23 of the point 5 H Jul 8 1941 and is secured to the point as by welding or the like (Figs. 01 y and FOREIGN PATENTS As indicated 1n F1g. 3, due to the 1nherent tendency 32926 Germany Mar- 13 1885 of the selvedges of the fabric to curl, the selvedge loops 

